Recent manufacture M&P 9 accuracy

[orionz06]

I have 2 Storm Lake barrels on the way now, let's see what happens. Not expecting anything great.

[JulieG]

Just now seeing this thread. I don't have much time to visit the forums these days, but I did want to address some of the questions & concerns.

Smith & Wesson Customer Service - Really sorry that some of you have had negative experiences with the company's customer service. I do know the fine folks that work in the department are dedicated and are some of the best in the business. Hopefully your issues and concerns have been addressed.

My guns - The guns I receive from S&W are straight from the factory. They ship right off the assembly line and the only time I get "special" treatment is if I make the request to have someone from the Performance Center change out the sights or do a trigger job, but that's very rare and a bit of work to coordinate. Sometimes I opt to have work done on the guns outside of Smith & Wesson for specialty divisions like my Open Bianchi gun or even my single stack 1911's to customize them to my personal preferences. My iron sight division M&P's I do very little to - sight change & sometimes a trigger job. I don't even change out the recoil spring like many other competition shooters do.

Regarding my personal accuracy expectations out of a polymer frame gun, I'll share my experience as it relates to what I do, which is compete. The first year the NRA Bianchi Cup offered Production as a sub category of the Metallic Sight Division, I used a G34 (circa 2004 -2005). A significant amount of prep for the match was taking various combinations of frames, barrels and slides to get the most accurate version I could. My best combo shot between 5" and 10" at 50 yards. What was most interesting was that the greatest variation in accuracy was when the gun was hot. After a couple hundred rounds in warm Georgia weather, the groups just opened up. I also found that the 147's were the most accurate.

Those who compete in Production (now its own division) at Bianchi spend a LOT of time with different sights, barrels and doing everything they can to get the most accurate gun they can. It's not unlike what I do for my Open 1911's at that match. That's just one competition though and it's basically an accuracy match. The X ring is 4" with the farthest shots fired prone (in most cases) at the 50 yard line on the Practical Event. Here are the overall results of the 2011 Bianchi Cup in Production:

ROB LEATHAM - Springfield XD, Match Score - 1883 132x, Practical Event Score - 457 26x

KEVIN WORREL - I believe he was shooting a Glock, but I am not sure, Match Score - 1881 119x, Practical Event Score - 468 24x

ENOCH SMITH - Smith & Wesson M&P, Match Score - 1879 123x, Practical Event Score - 457 18x


480 48x is a perfect score on the Practical. I have personally witnessed Rob shoot a 480 w/ a boat load of X's so it "can" be done.

It's interesting that the top three scores in the match were with polymer frame guns. You are allowed to replace the factory barrel in Bianchi but other modifications are limited based on the rules. So... that said, great shooters are shooting polymer frame guns, accurately under competition stress.

My accuracy testing is much more of the practical variety for the other sports I compete in. For the last half of the 2011 season I shot a stock M&P9L and the only change was switching out the sights for Warren Tactical Sights. I shot an out of the box trigger that broke a little over 6lbs (IPSC legal) for the World Shoot and also shot it at as a warm up at the USPSA Production Nationals where we don't have trigger weight minimums. IPSC stages feature tough shots at both close and far distances. Any misses I had at the World Shoot were all me and those tough shots, like the shots on far poppers for example, I hit every time, the first time.

Leading up to the match I shot small auto poppers at 20 yards and even tough shots at 50 yards. I shoot all my guns at the farthest distance I anticipate that I will shoot in competition to make sure I know where to hold at certain distances. With my experience in shooting polymer frame guns, I just don't expect them to be tack drivers. Unlike metal frame guns, polymer frame guns flex so much more in recoil and the tolerances are greater. I'm not an engineer but the more variables you have, it only makes sense to me that you will lose some accuracy. I know of a couple of shooters that have M&P's that shoot phenomenal groups at 50 yards with a stock barrel and no mods. For me, if I can shoot A-zone hits on an IPSC target with my match ammo at 50, I am happy. I don't know exactly what my M&P9L's shoot in a formal accuracy test, but the gun likes 147s and my ASYM Ammo shoots well enough and soft enough that I am very happy with it. It does what I need it to do for both accuracy and reliability.

In general anytime someone has an issue with their Smith & Wesson, I suggest they contact Customer Service and Warranty. They are the most qualified to help you get the attention you require/want in solving any issues.

Hope that helps!!

[SecondsCount]

Julie- Thanks for taking the time to post. That was very informative.

[GJM]

I shot 8 M&P 9's today at 25 yards. These were from my collection of "good" ones.

There was enough variability, that I am keeping notes on the computer as to which pistols like which loads. Without boring folks with the details, most pistols had a load that shot well, but it was all over the place in terms of different points of impact and different load preferences. Trying to find a full size 9 that shot a practice load and carry load to the same point of impact was challenging. A number of the pistols did great with the Aguila 124 load mentioned in another thread, and my full size with RMR is consistently shooting it under two inches at 25 yards. My 9C is shooting Ranger 124 +P and the Aguila to the same point of impact, both sub three inches at 25 yards. I have three 9 Pro's, and each has its own load preference.

Reference the post above on polymer variability, what I don't understand is why my M&P 9's are all over the place in accuracy and point of impact, and all the Glock 9's we have tested seem to shoot the same loads equally well and to the same point of impact. Especially, since my M&P 45's seem to shoot consistently well, and shoot various loads to the same point of impact.

Unless a shooter is willing to sift thru a number of M&P 9's, test multiple loads at 25 yards, and select ammo that shoots in their individual pistol, I can't imagine carrying a M&P 9 as a defensive pistol.

[orionz06]

...............

[Bill Lance]

Unless a shooter is willing to sift thru a number of M&P 9's, test multiple loads at 25 yards, and select ammo that shoots in their individual pistol, I can't imagine carrying a M&P 9 as a defensive pistol.

I am officially deflated now,,,

[JodyH]

I'm guessing the sensitivity to various loads is related to the M&P barrel unlock issues.
Different recoil impulses lead to different unlock time frames which leads to different accuracy results.

[Comedian]

I'm guessing the sensitivity to various loads is related to the M&P barrel unlock issues.
Different recoil impulses lead to different unlock time frames which leads to different accuracy results.

Good analysis.

[GJM]

Received my four problem child M&P 9 pistols back from S&W today. One was noted barrel replaced, range checked for accuracy, and the other three were all noted, slide replaced, range checked for accuracy. Look forward to shooting them at 25 yards.

[JDM]

Received my four problem child M&P 9 pistols back from S&W today. One was noted barrel replaced, range checked for accuracy, and the other three were all noted, slide replaced, range checked for accuracy. Look forward to shooting them at 25 yards.

I got my barrel replaced and while the 'patterns' were different, they weren't groups.

Hopefully you experience something different.